Some questions about an European cruise, any tips would be welcome!

[kuhne]

Hey all! I hope you are doing ok. I have a few questions regarding a cruise I plan to take my family on, it's next year, I'll try to keep questions as simple as possible.

 

There's a really nice brilliance sailing for next year, July 3, 2023. Parts from Barcelona with only one sea day, it's a one week cruise, stops in portofino, Genoa, Marsellie, Nice and Florence, it ends in Rome.

 

The trip would be with wife and two kids, so things like extended tours and stuff like that are sort of out of the question, plus we've already been to some of those places.

 

My doubts are regarding how easy it is to simply arrive and walk around to nice parts of places like portofino, genoa and marsellie? Because I've already been to florence, the ship stops at livorno and you need to take a long bus in order to get to florence, which is what we're going to do, I find it very important to go and see the David and all around Florence is an incredible place but I know it's not a "walk out of the ship and viola! everything is there!" kind of thing.

 

I already know my way around civitavechia, barcelona and Nice, in Nice it's easy to get an uber to Monaco (return is trickier) or just take the train, or maybe just stay at the beach near the ship. So those are fine, my problem is the other three, portofino, marsellie and genoa, these are places I really want to get to know, walk around, experience the food and culture but without having to be on a tour. Do you guys know if any of these places are like florence? Where I would be forced to get a car or a bus just to be able to get to the good stuff? Or will it be fine if we decide to do everything on our own?

 

My other question (questions I guess) is about travels before the cruise departs. We were originally planning to arrive three days before to Paris then fly to Barcelona for a day before taking our cruise but I am thinking of adding another three days before paris to get to London first, so the trip in total would be three days in london, three in paris, one in barcelona, the cruise which ends in rome, three days in rome and go back home.

 

The flight from Paris to Barcelona is easy, we've done that same trip before for a cruise it was seamless. Adding London into the mix before paris makes me a bit nervous. I know the UK has never been part of the Schengen but I dunno if brexit made things more difficult, as I haven't been there since brexit. I have a mexican passport, my kids have both mexican and USA passports, we would all be flying into London for three days before paris, which means we have the chance to take either the eurostar to paris or a flight. I know the train is the best, most hassle free option but we would have luggage, four big pieces, with a stroller, I am not sure the eurostar is the best option for that kind of travel, wouldn't it be easier to simply fly to paris? Flying around europe isn't that expensive.

 

Anyway, any tips you guys may have or recommendations would be appreciated, the trip is already sort of set in stone as far as locations we would travel to, I already even paid for the cruise, but the london part of the trip is the only one that's still up in the air, I may do it, change it or simply not do anything at all and arrive directly to paris, it's just the kids would love to know both places, especially my 9 year old girl.

[hlperez]

Genoa - you can walk straight of the ship and it's a short walk to the marina and the center of town.  No tour needed at all.  There's a nice maritime museum and an aquarium too.

 

Marseille - the ship docks about a 20 minute ride from the center of town.  You can take a taxi or the ship's shuttle bus.  You can do Marseille on your own, no tour is needed.  There are various things to do in town - shopping is quite good,  walking around the marina and sitting in a cafe is nice.  There is the petit train up to the cathedral on the hill.

 

Can't help with Portofino.  (I thought Genoa is the port for Portofino?)

 

[Missusdubbya]

On 7/12/2022 at 8:02 AM, kuhne said:

We were originally planning to arrive three days before to Paris then fly to Barcelona for a day before taking our cruise but I am thinking of adding another three days before paris to get to London first, so the trip in total would be three days in london, three in paris, one in barcelona, the cruise which ends in rome, three days in rome and go back home.

I love travelling in Europe and have visited many times, however this itinerary would be too ambitious for me.  There is so much time spent travelling that I would feel like I am missing out (and I don’t think one night in Spain is enough).

 

I would either spend more time in each location OR change the cruise (if refundable) to a med cruise return from Southampton (great one at the end of June) OR skip London or Paris for next time.

 

If you are definitely set on this itinerary, I prefer Eurostar to flying from Heathrow/Gatwick.

 

 

[Bobal]

Just a few observations from someone who has done all the ports, some of them several times.

 

Re the 3 ports you are unsure of hlperez in post #2 gives great advice. I would add that in Genoa a nice addition would be the catch the funicular from the centre of town (easy to find) for a cheap and fun ride above the town which gives a great view over the port. There is a cafe at the top of the ride. 

 

In Marseille the petit train is a fun and informative ride and you can hop off at the cathedral at the top and spend some time there. There is a public bus from just outside the port but it would be less hassle to jump in a cab since there are 4 of you, or take a ship shuttle if it is an option.

 

Portofino is a tender port and the tender will drop you right in the centre of a really pretty town. It's very easy to do on your own, walk up to the castle at the top and make sure to call in the cemetery on the way up. It's a picture-perfect town - but very expensive!!

 

I assume you will port in Villefranche (for Nice). There is a small beach right on the harbour front. It's not pretty but a good place to dip your toes in the water. Otherwise trains are really efficient and cheap and if you haven't been there a train trip to Monaco is really good and close.

 

As for your plans pre-cruise only you can decide what you want to see but (even though I live less than half an hour's train ride away) I never tire of London - so much to see and do and lots of free stuff too. I agree that one day in Barcelona isn't enough. Despite being one of the cities I have visited most in the world it's another one I never tire of and always find something different to do. I would spend less time in Paris rather than Barcelona - but that's my preference and you may feel a pressing need to do Paris.

 

As far as travelling from London to Paris, I would opt for Eurostar. Flight prices are cheap between European cities but once you start to add baggage they can really rack up. As far as I remember there are no limits on number of bags on Eurostar, just weight limits. It's also SO easy to board in the centre of London and without long check-in times. None of the London airports are actually in London so by the the time you have added on travel to the airport and built in a couple of hours check in time, you could be in Paris.

 

It looks like a really good itinerary and one which will introduce your kids to some amazing places.

 

 

[gail-s]

Thanks for the great information!  to the OP, we'll be on the same cruise with you this summer.  

[CynBeth6]

We will hopefully be on this cruise as well!  Thanks so much we are actually thinking of doing Genoa and Portofino on our own since some of the tours would be too much for my Mom who is joining DH and I. We booked through the shop the excursions Aix on your Own and HOHO Bus for Monaco.   We are still deciding about Livorno.